Tiger Woods a major doubt for Ryder Cup after reinjuring back

04/08/2014

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Tiger Woods could miss out on the American Ryder Cup team this year after reinjuring his back. Woods who just recently returned to competitive action following surgery on a nerve in his back in March so this flare up will devastate a man who was striving to be involved in Ryder Cup action.

The former world number one was seen writhing in pain after a shot on the second hole in yesterday's final round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio. He was then clearly in big trouble again on the 9th hole and he was forced to to retire from the competition midway through his round.

Woods entered the WGC tournament needing a big showing in order to put him in contention for a place on the American team hoping to claim the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles this September. His hopes of being selected by American captain Tom Watson were already hanging by a tread due to a lack of action this year after his back surgery.

It is very likely now that Woods will be ordered by doctors to take a lengthy layoff from playing in order to allow his back to properly rehabilitate. The prevailing opinion in the golf world was that Tiger had returned too soon with European captain Paul McGinley saying "He looks like he’s maybe come back too early. I saw him hit shots on the front nine there that I’ve never seen him in his life come close to hitting. There’s obviously something going on."

Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia has continued his trend of buckling under final day pressure after the challenge of Rory Mcllroy proved to be too strong for him. Mcllroy began his final round 3 shots adrift of the Spaniard but managed to finish the day 2 shots ahead of Garcia to win the Bridgestone Invitational and in the process reclaim the world number one spot from Adam Scott.